The play started out SO light-hearted. The characters included a father, mother and 2 children. The family slept, ate and the children went to school. It was cute. Then something changed...
Last January, I took a life changing trip to Ethiopia. My reason for going was to visit a ministry in the southern part of the country, a ministry that is fulfilling James 1:27,
Our team spent 5 days visiting FOVC (Friends of Orphans and Vulnerable Children) in Shanto, Ethiopia. FOVC is a school, educating over 150 children. Many of those children are orphans and the poorest of the poor. Despite hardship, these children were full of smiles, giggles and life! Each day they blessed our team with an opening ceremony. In Ethiopian culture, value is placed on greeting and making visitors feel special and welcome. Despite the rural, poverty stricken conditions, we felt like honored guests, who were served coffee and popcorn! Seriously, popcorn is always served during the very formal "coffee ceremony". The coffee beans are locally grown, roasted over open fires and hand ground! FYI, Ethiopia is credited as the birthplace of coffee.
Each day the ceremony was different, often music and dancing occurred. On our second day the children put on a play, in English! They are all learning English, so this was quite a task. Through their giggles, the children performed beautifully! Despite the light-hearted start something changed and it became clear that this play had a very serious theme. After a few moments of "family time", the father died and there were many "tears" as the children acted out the sorrow of losing a parent. Not long after, the mother died and the 2 children found themselves on the side of the road, begging for food. As I sat there, I could not grasp why this play, that started out SO cute, had turned SO morbid. I thought, "Why would they act this out? This is awful!" I felt so uncomfortable.
As the play continued, a loving adult came along and questioned the children. After hearing of their situation, they were promptly brought to FOVC and received food, help and love! As the play ended, one of the teachers explained that the children wanted us to understand how important it was that we had come. That our willingness to raise funds and build awareness for FOVC, was changing THEIR lives.
Through my tears, I realized it was the first time in my life that I fully grasped the concept that ORPHANS ARE REAL! In my lifetime, I have never personally known an orphan, definitely children who have lost one parent but never both. In America we have such a developed medical, social service and judicial system. My guess is that most children do not lose both parents because our medical care is so good. The average life expectany in America is approximately 78 years and in Ethiopia it is 52. If a child is orphaned it does not reach our radar because we have systems set in place that make sure children are not sitting on the side of the road begging. However, in most developing countries, you can find children begging in order to fill their bellies. I think that it is a reality which is so hard for us to grasp!
What if you saw an orphaned child sitting on the side of the road begging for food? What would you do? In Shanto, Ethiopia FOVC is taking in those children. In August, I had the privilege of coming on staff as the HOPE Sponsorship Coordinator. Currently, I have over 30 children still in need of a sponsor. The number one question I get is, "How do I know my money will be properly used?" Well, one year ago that was my question and so I made the 7500 mile journey and saw what my $35 a month was doing. My goal as coordinator is to make sure the sponsorships funds are properly used. I feel extremely confident that your $35 a month will be used to change a life, a village, a region in southern Ethiopia.
Child sponsorship is one of the best ways to fight global poverty. Please consider sponsoring a child today. If you want more information please leave a comment or e-mail me at Ingrid@fovc.org.
Last January, I took a life changing trip to Ethiopia. My reason for going was to visit a ministry in the southern part of the country, a ministry that is fulfilling James 1:27,
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..."
Our team spent 5 days visiting FOVC (Friends of Orphans and Vulnerable Children) in Shanto, Ethiopia. FOVC is a school, educating over 150 children. Many of those children are orphans and the poorest of the poor. Despite hardship, these children were full of smiles, giggles and life! Each day they blessed our team with an opening ceremony. In Ethiopian culture, value is placed on greeting and making visitors feel special and welcome. Despite the rural, poverty stricken conditions, we felt like honored guests, who were served coffee and popcorn! Seriously, popcorn is always served during the very formal "coffee ceremony". The coffee beans are locally grown, roasted over open fires and hand ground! FYI, Ethiopia is credited as the birthplace of coffee.
Each day the ceremony was different, often music and dancing occurred. On our second day the children put on a play, in English! They are all learning English, so this was quite a task. Through their giggles, the children performed beautifully! Despite the light-hearted start something changed and it became clear that this play had a very serious theme. After a few moments of "family time", the father died and there were many "tears" as the children acted out the sorrow of losing a parent. Not long after, the mother died and the 2 children found themselves on the side of the road, begging for food. As I sat there, I could not grasp why this play, that started out SO cute, had turned SO morbid. I thought, "Why would they act this out? This is awful!" I felt so uncomfortable.
As the play continued, a loving adult came along and questioned the children. After hearing of their situation, they were promptly brought to FOVC and received food, help and love! As the play ended, one of the teachers explained that the children wanted us to understand how important it was that we had come. That our willingness to raise funds and build awareness for FOVC, was changing THEIR lives.
Through my tears, I realized it was the first time in my life that I fully grasped the concept that ORPHANS ARE REAL! In my lifetime, I have never personally known an orphan, definitely children who have lost one parent but never both. In America we have such a developed medical, social service and judicial system. My guess is that most children do not lose both parents because our medical care is so good. The average life expectany in America is approximately 78 years and in Ethiopia it is 52. If a child is orphaned it does not reach our radar because we have systems set in place that make sure children are not sitting on the side of the road begging. However, in most developing countries, you can find children begging in order to fill their bellies. I think that it is a reality which is so hard for us to grasp!
What if you saw an orphaned child sitting on the side of the road begging for food? What would you do? In Shanto, Ethiopia FOVC is taking in those children. In August, I had the privilege of coming on staff as the HOPE Sponsorship Coordinator. Currently, I have over 30 children still in need of a sponsor. The number one question I get is, "How do I know my money will be properly used?" Well, one year ago that was my question and so I made the 7500 mile journey and saw what my $35 a month was doing. My goal as coordinator is to make sure the sponsorships funds are properly used. I feel extremely confident that your $35 a month will be used to change a life, a village, a region in southern Ethiopia.
Child sponsorship is one of the best ways to fight global poverty. Please consider sponsoring a child today. If you want more information please leave a comment or e-mail me at Ingrid@fovc.org.
Here are a few of my little friends who need a sponsor!
The work you are doing on behalf of the kids in Ethiopia is incredible. My heart breaks for the millions of orphans around the world. What a blessing you are to live out the Gospel and find sponsors for these beautiful kids.
ReplyDeleteMay God bless your efforts so that families may remain intact.
ReplyDelete